David Hendon: Unibet British Open Final Day Tips

A busy, entertaining week of snooker in Cheltenham will end with a clash of the titans as Mark Selby and John Higgins lock horns for the British Open title.

Selby and Higgins have won 53 ranking events between them including eight World Championship titles. They are the game’s two ultimate percentage players, expertly knowing every move in the book: when to attack, when to close the shop, how to win when the chips are down.

Higgins wasn’t pushed on Saturday by Oliver Lines, who froze on his semi-final debut. The occasion got to him as much as his celebrated opponent and a whitewash followed.

Selby was involved in a much higher quality contest with Mark Allen, switching from grinding tactical play to inventive shot-making and heavy scoring to build a 3-0 lead. Allen recovered to trail only 4-3 but Selby eventually made a fine clearance to win 6-3.

It sets up a final between two genuine heavyweights. Selby holds the edge in their personal head-to-head but is always wary of Higgins, who famously limited him to just seven points in the whole match at the 2021 Players Championship.

It will be a poignant day with the trophy named in honour of legendary commentator Clive Everton, who passed away on Friday. These two all-time greats are sure to honour the occasion by putting on a show, but who will prevail?

Mark Selby to beat John Higgins

Even before the tournament began, Selby was scoring heavily. So often lauded for his battling qualities, he was actually winning a high percentage of frames with big breaks. True, he got on a run of six successive deciders, but he won five of them to underline how his temperament holds up under pressure.

Higgins seemed to be entering decline on arriving in Cheltenham. After an incredible 10,738 days as a member of the elite top 16, he was relegated. Seven days later he will return regardless of what happens in the final.

Higgins has not won a ranking event for three and a half years and has lost his last four finals. This run of defeats has clearly affected his confidence but he is feeling better thanks to his new cue and perhaps lowered expectations.

But the stage is set for Selby to do what his great rival Neil Robertson managed a week ago and return to the winners’ circle after a barren period. Like Robertson, he is too good and too dedicated to go without silverware for long.

Higgins is a gold star legend but Selby has played the better snooker overall and, over the best of 19 frame distance, has to be fancied.

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